Jewish Operas, Volume 1
Title |
Time |
Play |
| The Golem (excerpt) | 00:00 | ▼ |
| The Golem | 00:00 | |
| Chelm | 26:14 | ▼ |
| Scene 2 | 08:46 | |
| Scene 3 | 06:47 | |
| Scene 4 | 06:32 | |
| Scene 5 | 04:09 | |
| The Dybbuk | 20:02 | ▼ |
| Lord of the Earth! (Act I) | 05:11 | |
| Wedding Music | 01:37 | |
| Under the Earth's Surface | 02:31 | |
| Prelude to Act II | 03:06 | |
| Dance of the Beggars | 02:07 | |
| The Song of Israel | 06:04 |
Ellstein - Strassburg - Tamkin
Timeless Jewish legends and unforgettable dramatic characters come to life in these opera scenes composed by 20th-century American masters. Ellstein's The Golem retells the ancient tale of a clay-made creature, brought to life by kabbalistic spells, who ultimately threatens the very people he was intended to serve. Strassburg's Chelm, a series of vignettes from a "village of fools," includes a portrayal of a hapless newlywed couple who conduct a hilarious search for an ideal wedding present. Tamkin's The Dybbuk transforms an age-old story of demon possession into a compelling drama wherein the fate of two star-crossed lovers becomes a mystical allegory for the Jewish People and Israel.
Reviews and Recognitions:
Grammy Winner: David Frost, Producer of the Year, Classical
"...a welcome portal into the rich and varied musical soul of American Jewry." —David Gyger, Opera-Opera
"...a dramatic, complex and dissonant work...of substance and stature.... The arrangement [of Robert Strasbourg's Chelm] is nothing less than brilliant." —Morton Gold, Jewish Post and Opinion
"All the ensembles are tight and dramatic..." —Steve Schwartz, ClassicalCDReview.com